1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a switching spark gap that is capable of transferring, in a fraction of a second, a current of very high intensity under very high voltage between its electrodes, and more particularly such a spark gap having two coaxial electrodes traversing the spark gap from end to end.
2. Description of the Related Art
Switching spark gaps are generally employed in applications such as the Marx generator or another very-high-voltage assembly, for example in combination with capacitors enabling electrical energy to be stored and to be restored in the form of a current of very high intensity under very high voltage.
From document EP 1 629 577, for example, such a spark gap is known having two elongated electrodes facing each other, between which an electric arc develops, the triggering of the electric arc being capable of being effected by the exceeding of a threshold of voltage between the electrodes or by the application of a voltage to a triggering electrode.
However, it has been observed that in applications such as the Marx generator many spark gaps have to be combined with many capacitors, for example in parallel connection, and that great complexity of wiring results from this, in particular in order to take the anode of the spark gap to the anode of the adjacent capacitors.
Furthermore, spark gaps such as the one mentioned above have a complex internal organization on account of the third, triggering electrode. When they are used with a triggering by exceeding of a threshold for self-ignition of the spark gap, they are difficult to adjust.